Stowaway apparently hides in plane's undercarriage bay for 2.5 hour flight to Paris



A stowaway apparently hid in a plane's undercarriage bay for a two-and-a-half hour flight that landed in Paris on Thursday morning.

What are the details?

Citing a security source briefed on the matter, Reuters reported that the stowaway was found alive but in critical condition in the undercarriage bay of an Air Algeria airplane at Paris Orly airport.

The plane was coming from the Western Algerian town of Oran, the outlet noted.

The stowaway was in a life-threatening condition and being treated at a nearby hospital, Reuters added, citing the source.

Stowaways in planes' unpressurized wheelhouses and cargo holds can be subjected to temperatures ranging from -58 to -76 degrees Fahrenheit, the outlet said, as well as lack of oxygen.

More from Reuters:

In 2019, the body of a suspected stowaway fell hundreds of meters from a plane flying over southwest London, landing in the garden of a man's home, just missing him as he sunbathed.

In 2015, the body of a stowaway on a British Airways flight from Johannesburg to Heathrow landed on a shop in Richmond, southwest London. A second stowaway survived the 10-hour flight and was found in the undercarriage of the plane.

How are folks reacting?

Commenters on a version of the Reuters story published by Yahoo! News had plenty to say about the incident:

  • "For the lack of any security noticing this person accessing the plane while on the tarmac you have to wonder how easy it would be for anyone else to put a bomb or [smuggle] something aboard without anyone being the wiser," one commenter observed.
  • "Watch and remember my words: in the not-too-distant future, airlines will be required to install oxygen masks and 'space blankets' in the wheel wells of all of their aircraft," another commenter predicted. "The 'feel good' crowd will demand it!"
  • "How in God’s name does someone survive up to -76 degrees Fahrenheit for two hours?" another commenter wondered. "Madness!"

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Video: Man clings to roof of his stolen SUV as crook behind wheel leads cops on high-speed chase



The owner of an SUV was caught on video clinging to the roof of his stolen vehicle as the crook behind the wheel led police on a high-speed chase Tuesday near San Antonio, Texas.

What are the details?

Live Oak Police told WOAI-TV that after 29-year-old Jacob Benito Zuniga stole the SUV, the owner jumped atop the vehicle in an attempt to stop the theft.

Witnesses then spotted a man hanging from the SUV's roof, and a call came in to police at 7:25 p.m., the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported, citing a police release.

Authorities saw Zuniga driving erratically near Toepperwein Road, swerving back and forth in an attempt to dislodge the person atop the roof, WOAI said.

When police approached, Zuniga tried to get away from them, the station added.

A short video shows Zuniga speeding through traffic, quickly changing from the left lane to the right lane as the SUV owner clings to the vehicle's roof rails, the Star-Telegram said:

\u201cIt was quite a sight Wednesday evening on the Northeast Side. Drivers were surprised to see a man clinging for his life atop an SUV involved in a high speed police chase! https://t.co/l1nyQ2AfpN\u201d
— News 4 San Antonio (@News 4 San Antonio) 1659008925

Soon Zuniga crashed the SUV at the intersection of Toepperwein and the IH-35 access road, WOAI said.

What happened next?

The SUV owner was thrown from the roof during the crash, the station said, adding that he suffered severe injuries and was hospitalized in critical condition. Police on Friday told TheBlaze they did not have information on the SUV owner's condition.

Zuniga fled the scene on foot, but officers quickly located him and placed him under arrest, WOAI said, adding that he was charged with aggravated robbery, intoxication assault, and evading arrest — and booked into the Bexar County Jail.

While WOAI reported that the incident took place Wednesday, TheBlaze confirmed with the Live Oak Police records department that it indeed happened Tuesday.